Islam - The Religion of God

Islam - The Religion
of Nature
For over one billion people in the world Islam is a religion and complete way of
life. But more than that, Islam is a state of mind and being. "Islam"
is an Arabic word that means "peace through the submission to God".
And "Muslim" means "anyone or anything that submits itself to the
will of God". Now, if you were to observe nature you will find that
everything is submitting to the laws that God has established. The planets,
stars, trees, and animals perform their God-given duties with perfect obedience
and, as a result, are in a state of peace through their submission. Therefore
they are all Muslims adhering to the principle of Islam.

Applying this principle to human beings, some choose to submit their will to
God and some choose not to. Hence, some are Muslims and some are not. But
understand that one does not have to practice the "religion" Islam to
be considered a Muslim. Remember, "Muslim" can be a general term that
refers to anyone or anything that submits its will to God. Therefore, an
isolated tribal civilization not having any exposure to "mainstream"
religion, though submitting themselves to God in the best way they know how, may
be Muslims if they are worshipping God in a way that pleases Him. Such a people
may refer to God as "the Great Spirit" or "the Supreme
Being" and live a righteous life in service and submission to Him.
Frederick Mathewson Denny wrote in his book entitled An Introduction to Islam,
"All true religion is 'surrender' to God and, thus, Islam in the generic
sense.'" Additionally, every newborn baby is a Muslim (see the
definition above) because of an unwilling submission to God. The baby is
completely humble and innocent since it is a natural creation of God in its
purest state - the state of peace (or Islam).

Islam - The Religion of Responsibility
As a baby grows older it develops an intellectual awareness and free will, both
of which are gifts of God that are unique to the human being. But along with
these gifts comes responsibility due to the fact that we are now aware of right
and wrong and are no longer forced to submit to God. The choice is now
completely ours and we will be held accountable for all the choices we make.
Some are influenced by their environment, family, and/or own desires and are
subsequently led off the natural path of Islam (peace through submission) to
indulge in unnatural things. These things may include crime, drug use, racism,
false worship, and/or the complete denial of the existence of God.

Islam - The Religion of Purpose
The purpose of Islam the "religion" and "way of life" is to
bring the human being back to the natural state that it was originally created
in: that of humility, piety, peace, and submission. The difference in submission
now is that the human will is consciously choosing to be a Muslim, and the human
intellect realizes the whole purpose of creation - to worship and please God in
every activity and aspect of life. Consequently, a Muslim is always engaged in
good thoughts, words, and actions in an attempt to please his or her Creator and
live a peaceful life here on Earth and ultimately in the Hereafter. Islam gives
purpose and meaning to life. It gives the Muslim an identity and an awareness of
his or her position in this vast universe. To know that everything you think,
do, and say is serving a purpose, fulfilling an obligation, and pleasing your
Creator and Sustainer is greatest feeling that one can have in this life!

Islam - The Religion of Balance
This being the case, one may think that Islam is a religion of extremism or
asceticism - that Muslims isolate themselves in mosques to pray all day and
meditate on religious issues. However this is not the teaching of Islam. Muslims
do integrate themselves into society and seek the bounties of God through
worldly careers and recreational activities as long as they are within the
bounds of the Islamic law.

God says in The Holy Qur'an:

"But seek, with the (wealth) which
God has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in
this world: but do thou good, as God has been good to thee, and seek not
(occasions for) mischief in the land: for God loves not those who do
mischief." (28:77)
The Muslim believes that the Earth and all of creation were created by God to
serve the human being as a means to achieve the purpose of life, which is the
worship of God. Therefore, if a person works and earns money lawfully in an
effort to provide for his or her family, this is viewed as worship. Likewise for
sleeping, eating, or exercising if it helps the person in ultimately fulfilling
their duties to God. Worship not only includes formal and ritual acts of
devotion but any act, routine or otherwise, that is pleasing to God. And the key
to worship in a Muslim's daily life is the remembrance of God no matter what
activity is being undertaken.

Islam - The Religion of Discipline
In order to keep the remembrance of God amidst all the distractions of daily
life the human being needs a reminder. And this reminder comes in the form of
prayer, fasting, charity, and the like. Five prayers a day at certain times keep
the Muslims aware of who they are and keeps them "in check" while
living in a predominantly secular society. Fasting during the daylight hours in
the month of Ramadan brings a sense of gratitude for the nourishment that is
usually taken for granted. The constant hunger also helps the person practice
self-restraint against carnal desires. Charity ushers in a balanced society
economically and paves the way for brotherly love and unity in the cause of
pleasing God. Charity may also manifest itself in the giving of oneself to good
deeds in helping others. Prophet Muhammad once said, "When you smile in
your brother's face it counts to you as a charity" (Tirmizi).

Once a person makes the declaration of faith (shahadah) and becomes a Muslim,
he or she takes on these and other responsibilities in an effort to remain on
the straight path of righteousness and success. Islam is a disciplined religion
because it teaches personal responsibility and complete submission to God. A
Muslim must work for the pleasure of his or her Creator and hope for His mercy
and acceptance. It may be a struggle at times but the wise person only welcomes
struggle because it is a means by which the human will can be purified and by
which the human spirit can move closer to its Creator. Besides, hard work
results in a stronger, more dignified individual who is grateful and deserving,
not lazy and complacent. The struggle (jihad) that Muslims may endure in trying
to submit themselves is also a test of their true faith. It's not a test for God
to know because He knows all; it's a test for the individual to know whether he
or she is a true servant of God. Islam is a disciplined way of life that
inspires people to be productive citizens working in the higher cause of their
Creator.

Islam - The Religion of Simplicity
Islam is a religion that does not complicate the human being's relationship with
God. There is no priesthood in Islam and no need for intermediaries to reach
God. The concept of God is clear, logical, and simple. There is One unseen god
whose name is Allah. He is Eternal, Merciful, Just, All-Knowing, All-Powerful,
and the Creator of all that exists. He has no sons, daughters, or partners in
His lordship. Our praise and worship are devoted solely to Him and Him alone.
The Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 1300 years ago, is
the preserved word of God. It is the instruction book for all humans to know how
to worship God and live life in the most excellent way. It contains the
originally revealed Arabic scripture which has never been tampered with or
changed by humans. As a result, its teachings are clear and simple and can even
be understood by a child!

Formal acts of worship in Islam are both practical and simple. In the daily
prayers, the Muslim brings the highest part of the body (the head) to the lowest
point (the ground) as a symbol of complete humility and submission (the Biblical
prophets prayed the same way - see Joshua 5:14 and I Kings 18:42). Through
fasting the Muslim denies the body of the physical needs in order to concentrate
on the spiritual needs. In the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Muslim dawns a simple
dress and embarks on a struggling journey that is meant to purify the soul and
bring one as close to God as possible in this life, spiritually speaking. Each
practice appropriately conforms to the innate human desire to submit to the
Supreme Creator in simplicity and ease of understanding.

Islam - The Religion of God
Muslims believe in all the revealed books of God: the Torah (Moses), the Psalms
(David), the Gospels (Jesus), and the Qur'an (Muhammad). The message in all of
them is the same: submission to the One God in peace, unity, and righteousness.
The Holy Qur'an is simply a summation and correction of all the scriptures that
came before it since they were tampered with and changed by humans over time.
What Muslims reject are the altered versions that exist today because they
contain only a fragment of the original message. Human perversion of these
original scriptures made it necessary for the Qur'an to come.

And it has remained in its original form to this very day:"We have, without doubt, sent down
the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)" (The
Holy Qur'an 15:9)"This is a Glorious Qur'an,
inscribed in a Tablet Preserved!"(The Holy Qur'an 85:21-22)

Now, since Islam is the religion of nature, it has existed ever since the
beginning of creation. And if we believe in the One God and in one human race,
then we have to believe that there is one way of worship that is acceptable to
Him. It is the Muslim position that God sent all the prophets to teach the same
religion: submission to God (Islam). However, the Holy Qur'an is the only
revealed scripture that has remained free from human tampering.

The Muslims invite everyone to read the actual words of God and realize His will
and the light of universal truth through Islam. A light which by the hand of man
has been all but snuffed out in the scriptures revealed to the prophets before
Muhammad.